May 30, 1998

The Council of the Cluj/Kolozs County Representatives of the Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Rumania (DAHR) held a special meeting to discuss the creation of an independent Hungarian-language university. The meeting was attended by DAHR President Béla Markó, Honorary President László Tõkés, Education State Secretary József Kötõ, Senator Péter Eckstein-Kovács, Deputy Sándor Kónya Hamar, Deputy Jenõ Mátis, university professors, heads of churches and leading intellectuals. After several hours of debate, the Council adopted a resolution calling on DAHR parliamentary deputies to submit legislation to Parliament by June 15 on establishing an independent Hungarian-language university based in Cluj/Kolozsvár. In a press conference following the meeting, Béla Markó pointed out that "if Parliament fails to endorse the two government decrees (Nos.22 and 36) critical to ethnic Hungarians, DAHR cannot continue coalition cooperation with parties that object to the granting of fundamental minority rights." [DAHR Bulletin (Bucharest), June 1, 1998]

May 27, 1998

Senator Péter Eckstein-Kovács stated to Szabadság that Government Decree 22/1997 amending the law on Local Government would remain in effect despite the Constitutional Court’s ruling that the government cannot amend fundamental laws by issuing decrees (see report of May 23). [Szabadság (Cluj/Kolozsvár), May 27, 1998]

Chairman of the Senate Education Committee George Pruteanu did not accept the Peasant Party’s call for his suspension, stating that the party’s leadership already satisfied the Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Rumania’s demands by expelling him from the party. [Szabadság (Cluj/Kolozsvár), May 27, 1998]

May 26, 1998

Parliament endorsed the 1998 budget by a vote of 231-129 with 3 abstentions. The Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Rumania voted for the budget. [Szabadság (Cluj/Kolozsvár), May 26, 1998]

Christian National Democratic Peasant Party President Ion Diaconescu stated that his party’s senators would call on Senator George Pruteanu to resign from his position as Chairman of the Senate Education Committee since the party had expelled him in March (see report of March 19). [Szabadság (Cluj/Kolozsvár), May 26, 1998]

Christian National Democratic Peasant Party President Ion Diaconescu stated that when Parliament approves the new legislation on local administration, Government Decree 22/1997 amending the Law on Local Government will be revoked. The legislation includes all positions previously provided by the government decree. [Szabadság (Cluj/Kolozsvár), May 26, 1998]

May 25, 1998

The Rumanian daily Adevarul reported the Constitutional Court’s ruling that Government Decree 22/1997 amending the Law on Local Government is unconstitutional; therefore, its provisions mandating the posting of bilingual signs and the use of minority languages in public administration, have to be canceled as well. The Constitutional Court’s decision is based on former Deputy Chairman of Vrancea County Council Emilian Diaconu’s appeal, in which he argued that the government cannot amend fundamental laws by issuing decrees. [Szabadság (Cluj/Kolozsvár), May 25, 1998]

May 21, 1998

Mediafax reported that Cluj/Kolozsvár Mayor Gheorghe Funar reverted to his effort to set up a placard on the Biasini Hotel commemorating one "Serbian poet Alexandru Petrovics"—otherwise known as Sándor Petõfi, a Hungarian national poet. The Mayor’s attempt came after the government and the Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Rumania officially denounced his attempts (see report of May 14 and 16). Prefect Alexandru Farcas told the Rumanian daily Stirea that he would continue to prevent placement of the placard for which the Mayor has no permission from the City Council. [Szabadság (Cluj/Kolozsvár), May 21, 1998]

May 16, 1998

Leaders of the Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Rumania issued a statement condemning Cluj/Kolozsvár Mayor Gheorghe Funar’s latest anti-Hungarian provocation. The mayor tried to have a placard placed insulting the memory of the Hungarian national poet Sándor Petõfi and offending the ethnic Hungarian community. The statement signed by DAHR President Béla Markó and Executive President Csaba Takács points out that "Rumanian democracy and the Rumanian-Hungarian peace process cannot be realized without mutual respect for Rumanian and Hungarian national values and symbols, and the guarantee of fundamental human rights to all of the country’s citizens." DAHR considered the government’s earlier condemnation of this xenophobic and nationalistic provocation critical (see report of May 14). [DAHR Bulletin (Bucharest), May 16, 1998]

May 15, 1998

Cluj/Kolozsvár Mayor Gheorghe Funar intended to place a placard on the Hotel Biasini commemorating the 150th anniversary of the 1848 Rumanian revolution. The placard remembered Sándor Petõfi, a Hungarian national poet, not as a Hungarian but as a Serbian poet whose name had been Hungarianized from Alexandru Petrovici—a text considered offensive to ethnic Hungarians. Funar’s latest anti-Hungarian provocation prompted opposition from the Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Rumania and led Prefect Alexandru Farcas to issue Order No. 164 on May 14 banning placement of the placard. [DAHR Bulletin (Bucharest), May 15, 1998]

Following the government’s session Spokesman Razvan Popescu stated that "at Minister for Minority Affairs György Tokay’s initiative, the government discussed certain chauvinistic and anti-Semitic actions which directly contradict the government’s intentions, its program and, basically, Rumania’s efforts at European integration. These actions are even more deplorable when committed by people in positions of authority. In this sense, we consider it a challenge that Cluj Mayor Gheorghe Funar initiated the placement of a placard on one of the town’s buildings designating the Hungarian national poet Sándor Petõfi as ‘Alexandru Petrovici, a Serbian poet whose name had been Hungarianized’." [Szabadság (Cluj/Kolozsvár), May 15, 1998]

May 14, 1998

In Cluj/Kolozs County, Hungarian-language education of vocational subjects at the secondary level will begin in Fall 1998 with 300 places available in the county’s various vocational schools. [Szabadság (Cluj/Kolozsvár), May 14, 1998]

May 13, 1998

The Council of the Cluj/Kolozs County Representatives of the Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Rumania decided to hold a special meeting on May 30 to discuss the re-establishment of an independent Hungarian-language university based in Cluj/Kolozsvár. [Szabadság (Cluj/Kolozsvár), May 13, 1998]

May 9, 1998

Rumanian Minister for Minority Affairs György Tokay stated that Government Decree 22/1997 amending the Law on Local Government is in effect until both chambers of Parliament debate the issue. With respect to the issue of an independent Hungarian-language university, Tokay stood by the Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Rumania’s position to establish it in Cluj/Kolozsvár. [Szabadság (Cluj/Kolozsvár), May 12, 1998]